


So Far It's Alright

by lowkey_fujoshi



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Age Difference, Alternate Universe, Band Fic, Eren Is a Little Shit, Friends With Benefits, Friendship, Humor, Levi Is In Denial, Light Angst, M/M, Oral Sex, Other, Pining, Recreational Drug Use, eren is a fanboy, i curse a lot, no seriously
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-04-27
Updated: 2017-06-08
Packaged: 2018-10-24 16:29:47
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 15,266
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10745502
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lowkey_fujoshi/pseuds/lowkey_fujoshi
Summary: Eren, Mikasa, Jean, and Armin have left their hometown in London and moved to LA in order to make a name for their band. A stroke of luck gives them the once of a lifetime opportunity to go on tour with The Arctic Monkeys, whose members consist of Levi, Hange, and Erwin. However, Eren must come to terms with his past and fix his bad habits before he totally fucks up their chances at success.Aka: a light hearted fic where Eren makes lots of questionable decisions, his friends try to keep him under control, and Levi can't seem to deny the fact that he's falling in love.





	1. Talk!

**Author's Note:**

> Hey guys! Just so you know, this fic doesn't really have anything to do with the real 1975 or the Arctic Monkeys. I just wanted the reader to be able to imagine what kind of music the characters create. I think it makes it more fun when you can listen to She Way Out and imagine Eren singing it hehe. Anyways, I hope you enjoy!

Why is it so fucking hot.  
Eren shut his eyes and let his head rest against the back of the couch for a second. The AC in the small apartment had been broken for two weeks now, thanks to Jean’s dumbass, and no one had the money to get it fixed. Eren would much rather be outside or in the air conditioned coffee shop down the street, but Hans had told him, Armin, Mikasa and Jean to meet up at the apartment around 5. The other three were still out at the store buying groceries for the week. Eren glanced at his phone. It was 4:45 so they should be arriving soon. He wasn't sure what Hans wanted to talk to them about, but he knew it had to be something pertaining to the band. Honestly Hans, Eren’s uncle, knew fuck all about music. It was a bit strange that he agreed to be the manager of their band in the first place. However, he knew his way around business and had done a damn good job so far at keeping their shit together. They all were grateful for him for leaving his stable job back home simply because he believed in their talent.

Deciding to leave the UK in pursuit of a future for the 1975 was the riskiest decision they had to make. But the scene back in London wasn't cutting it anymore, so it had to be done. As soon as Eren and his childhood friends Mikasa, Armin, and Jean had graduated, they packed all of their stuff and got the fuck out of Tottenham. It’s been 9 months since then, and they had managed to secure a pretty decent fanbase. But still, they had a long ways to go in order to be considered “successful”. It wasn't as though the band was failing, but it had been hard to land a good gig recently. For the past couple weeks they had been getting by on small performances at bars, clubs, and a few music shows. But it was hardly enough to sustain all of them, and certainly not enough to fix the AC. All five of them, Hans included, had found part time jobs in the meantime in order to pay the bills.

Regardless, they had come a long way from performing for their family members and neighbors. The 1975 was definitely starting to generate some buzz, and they hadn't even released their first album yet. Most of their attention was coming from tumblr accounts and indie music blogs. Eren had seen a lot of their lyrics used for aesthetics and relatable quotes, much to his own embarrassment. Still, the young generation of listeners were going to be the ones to get them out there.

It helped that each one of them had matured nicely since the beginning of high school till now, at least physically. Armin had finally hit a growth spurt and was even slightly taller than Eren. The youthful edges of his face had chiseled out slightly, but his eyes were still giant blue orbs. Jean had always been tall and relatively handsome, though Eren would never admit it to him. But over the years, his frame had become less lanky and more solid. The bassist was definitely popular among the ladies. And Mikasa was absolutely stunning. Her curves had filled out a little and she was still amazingly toned. Eren found himself oddly attracted to each one of them at times. They really had it all. The sound, the passion, the look, the personalities. But they haven't been able to catch the break they needed. Eren knew that to make it in the music industry you needed an extra push. It would be easy if they had connections, but they were just a bunch of 18 year olds from northern London. What the fuck would they know. 

Eren felt a drop of sweat roll down his back. It wasn’t like any of them particularly cared about fame. But at the same time, they all wanted music to be their career. They wanted to be able to live off of their passion alone. Eren would rather die than have to work a regular 9 to 5 with music pushed to the side. He has to succeed. For himself, his friends, and his uncle. Eren ran his fingers through his slightly damp hair. They really needed a lucky break, fast. They could only live off of part time jobs and performing in clubs for so long. Not to mention Eren didn’t know how long he could take sharing a room with Jean. He was a sleep talker. 

A gentle knock on the front door shook Eren from his thoughts. Sighing, he threw his tank top back on and went to undo the lock. Mikasa, Jean, and Armin greeted him with armfuls of paper bags.

“Yo Eren. God, its bloody hot in here.” Jean said, setting the groceries down on the small kitchen counter.

“You’re telling me? I’ve been sweating my balls off because you broke the AC.” Eren said, taking a bag Mikasa was holding.

“I was trying to fix it. And I asked Armin to help, but he was too busy playing with his hair.”

Armin’s face, which was already slightly red from the LA heat, turned a deeper shade of scarlet. 

“I wasn't playing with me hair, Mikasa was cutting it. You all know I needed it.” Both Jean and Eren shrugged because it was true. Armin’s hair had grown almost past his shoulders since they’d moved from London. After Mikasa cut it, the golden locks hung just past his chin. Right now it was pinned up in a small ponytail to keep it out of his face. 

“You did a bloody good job, Mikasa. You should do me next.” Eren said, throwing an arm around her shoulder. Mikasa rolled her eyes and slipped out from under him.

“I’m not touching your hair until you wash it.”  
Jean let out a burst of laughter, and Armin hid his giggle behind his hand.

“Oh piss off. It's not my fault this damn place is hotter than actual hell.” Eren said, running his hand through his hair yet again.

The four of them were sat in the living room talking while they waited for Hans to arrive. Eren’s mood had really improved since they had gotten back. But he always could count on them to lift his mood. They all had been making music together since they were 13, and had been friends even longer than that. Eren didn't know what his life would be without each one of them.

As time began to creep past, the four teens grew nervous. What was it that Hans had to tell them? Eren hoped it was good news, but he really couldn’t bring himself to expect much.

“It’s already past 5, where the fuck is that old man.” Jean said, staring at his phone. Eren’s tank top was back to hanging around his neck. Mikasa’s head was resting on Armin’s shoulder, and her eyes were shut. Strands of Jean's ash brown hair were beginning to stick to his forehead with sweat.

Armin let out a small sigh. “I hope he landed us a gig at a nice bar so we can get the AC fixed.” he murmured.

“Oi are you turning on me too Armin? I said I was sorry.” Jean said, his arms splayed out on the back of the couch.

The four of them fell silent. Eren was apprehensive. What if Hans wanted to go back to London? It would be hard for him, Jean, Mikasa, and Armin to make it on their own. Still, Eren wouldn't blame him. He was living in a cramped 3 bedroom apartment in the middle of the city with a bunch of 18 year olds. If he wasn't Eren’s legal guardian, Eren was sure he would have booked the soonest flight back to the UK. But at the same time, he quit his job for this. It would have to take more than a heatwave and a week of no gigs to make him give up, right?

Eren glanced at his three friends. They had all sacrificed a lot to be here. Armin was a goddamn genius. He could have gone to uni and gotten any degree he wanted. Mikasa was practically the same way. And Jean may not have been as smart as the other two, but he was a hard worker. Eren could picture all three of them with stable careers and incomes if they had stayed in London. Really, the only one out of all of them with no other option besides music was Eren himself. He was fucking hopeless when it came to school. It wasn't like he was stupid. Honestly, he just couldn't bring himself to give a fuck. For him, it was either music or nothing. Yet when he did bring up the prospect of ditching school for LA, to his surprise, they shared his enthusiasm. Now it had become an unspoken way of life for them. If they don't have music, they don't have anything. There's really no turning back.

The soft click of a lock caused them all to look towards the front entrance. Hans pushed his way in and slammed the door with a little more force than necessary. Eren searched his face, and was surprised to see a look of excitement rather than resignation.

“The hell are you all staring at,” Hans said, kicking off his shoes. “Jean go open the window, it’s damn hot in here.”

“The hell are we staring at? You told us to be here at 5 and it's almost 6, old man.” Jean grumbled, making his way towards the one tiny window in the kitchen.

“Quit your whinin’ I had to make a few phone calls.”

Hans looked around and let out a small sigh. The anxiety must be written on all of their faces. 

“What are you all so tense for? Have a little faith in me, I’m not leaving yet.”

Armin furrowed his brow. “Then why did you need to talk to us?”

Hans’ face broke out in a grin. “Kids, I really think I’ve booked us the gig of a lifetime.”

Mikasa sat up straight, her black strands slightly mussed from leaning on Armin. Eren held his breath. Could Hans actually have some good news for them?

“Remember when you guys performed at the Observatory in September?” he continued.  
“How could we forget?” Eren said. The Observatory as a major success for them, and it really helped put their name out there. It had a stellar lineup and was definitely the most crowded show they ever played. They were lucky to have secured a spot.

“What about it?” Mikasa asked, eager to get to the point.

“A certain band that was headlining really took a liking to your performance.” Hans said, his grin widening.

Eren felt his heart stop. Black hair and cool grey eyes flashed through his mind. He couldn’t be talking about them, could he? 

“Yeah? Get on with it then.” Jean urged, his hands gripping the kitchen counter.

“They’ve kept in close contact with me since that night, and I’ve been negotiating.”

Armin looked at Eren, his eyes wide. What the fuck was he talking about? Eren was lost for words. There was no way a band that huge has been paying attention to four inexperienced kids. His uncle must fucking with them. Hans paused and looked around, probably enjoying making them wait. Just when Eren was sure Mikasa was about to jump off the couch and strangle the bastard, he spoke.

“The Arctic Monkeys want you to tour with them as their opening act.”

The room was silent for a few seconds. Eren’s mind was racing. He couldn’t be serious. He couldn't be serious, but at the same time he gave no indication that he was lying. Hans was a shit liar. His face would turn red and his eyes would dart around while he talked. Right now, he was staring directly at all of them.

Jean let out a short laugh.

“Don't mug me. Eren might be dumb enough to believe it, but you can't expect the rest of us to fall for that shit.”

“I’m being serious you brat. They watched you guys perform a couple more times after the Observatory, and they're serious about their decision.”

“But it doesn't make sense,” Armin began. “Why us? There was so much talent that day...”

Hans plopped down on the seat Jean was sitting on previously. “All three of them felt something in your music and your lyrics. That's the only real reason they've given me, and I’m not fucking complaining. This is bigger than anything we could have ever imagined.”

Overwhelming excitement began to bubble up within Eren. Was this really about to happen? Was luck really on their side for once? Mikasa laughed quietly. Her cheeks were flushed and her eyes were sparkling. Eren’s heart thudded in his chest. It had been a while since he’d seen her look so genuinely happy. A smile crept its way onto his face. 

“Shit… so what do we do now?” Jean asked, his hand rubbing the back of his neck.

Armin spoke up. “The first thing we need to do is arrange a meeting with them. Hans, did they say when they would be available to talk?” Armin’s voice was fast and airy. 

Eren was having trouble really wrapping his mind around the situation, and his friends seemed to be just as in shock. How the hell do they react to something like this? Performing in front of such a huge audience will literally be the jumpstart to their career, he could feel it. On top of that, the Arctic Monkeys were a huge inspiration to Eren in particular. The lead singer, Levi, was his fucking wallpaper for a while. The fact that he would soon meet face to face with all of them made Eren feel slightly dizzy. 

“I still have to work out the details on when you guys can meet, but they did mention that they want you to finish and release an album before the tour. That way we can promote it while on the road.” Hans told them.

Eren’s heart sunk a little. They still had a ways to go before their debut was ready to be sold. If the tour was starting any time soon they would really have to grind. 

“Hans, why didn’t you tell us they were interested sooner?” he asked. 

Hans sighed. “I didn’t want to get yer hopes up. I could hardly believe it myself, and I half expected them to change their mind at any moment. But it’s certain now that they want you guys.”

“This is fucking unreal…” Jean muttered. 

Mikasa stood up. “If it’s a summer tour that means we have a few months to finish putting this album together and practice everything to make sure it sounds good live. We have to start working right away.” 

“Hold up, I don't want to do anything until we talk with them and know for sure what the fuck is happening.” Eren said.

“I’m working on that,” Hans grumbled. “I expect that we can set up a meeting for the end of this week. Is that alright with you guys?”

“Yes sir.” Jean said with a mock salute.

“Don’t call me sir you shit. And my suggestion to you all is to get some rest this evening and start working on the album as soon as you can tomorrow.” Hans looked at Eren. “At least make sure most of the lyrics are finalized.”

Eren stood up. He was itching to take a long shower then lay in bed with his notepad. This was the break they've been waiting for, and there was no way he was going to fuck it up by putting out a subpar debut album. He wanted to impress all three members of the Arctic Monkeys, especially Levi, who was somewhat of a role model to him. Well, who was Eren kidding? He was downright attracted to him. The idea of being around him for months made Eren excited in more than one way. Eren bit his lip at the thought of his grey eyes, muscular body, and that sexy voice.

“Oi Eren. What are you plotting? Your face looks suspicious right now.”

Eren blinked. He hadn't seen Jean sneak up next to him. Armin, Mikasa, and Hans were gone, most likely having retired to their rooms to digest the news in private. Only Jean had stayed. Eren sighed. If there was anyone who knew about his sexual drive, it was Jean. He could read Eren like a book. 

“Nothing.” he replied, attempting to make his way towards his room. Jean grabbed him by his shoulder and spun him around.

“Whatever you’re thinking about doing, don't even attempt it. I don't want your... needs jeopardizing this opportunity.”

Eren rolled his eyes. Jean really underestimated him. Sure he couldn't promise he wouldn't at least flirt with Levi, but he wouldn't push it to the point of screwing with the band’s future. He fought back a smile.

“Oh? So do you plan on taking care of my ‘needs’?” He said, stepping closer to Jean and trailing his hand down his side. Jean swallowed and looked away. His ears were slightly red.

“If I have to I will. It’s nothing new.”

Eren chuckled. Jean had a point. Eren could always count on him when he needed a good fuck. That was the one way Eren’s relationship with Jean differed from the rest of his friends. It wasn't really a bad thing. They had a mutual agreement not to develop feelings, and it had served both of them well over the years. Eren was pretty certain Mikasa and Armin knew about it, but they never brought it up. It was between Jean and Eren. Eren took a step closer. 

“Well I’m feeling pretty needy right now.” Eren looked up at Jean and made his turquoise eyes wide and his bottom lip pouty. No one had ever been able to resist him when he made that face. Jean didn't say anything, but Eren knew he had won. Eren spun around and began making his way towards the bathroom. It was a really good day.


	2. An Encounter

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Levi meets Eren and his band for the first time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! So this chapter is from Levi's point of view. It takes place a few days after the first chapter. I hope you enjoy!

Levi slid into his car and turned it on, blasting the AC as high as it would go. He sighed and slammed the door shut. Today had been a shit storm, and it wasn't even over yet. He had just gotten out of a painfully boring meeting about their schedule for the next couple months. Just thinking about the amount of talk shows they’ve been invited to made Levi sick to his stomach. He was always awkward as fuck during interviews, not because he was shy, but because he never knew what to say. His responses were always too short and too blunt. Thankfully, Hange and Erwin were great at those sort of things, so they always made the situation less painful. In fact, Levi was well aware that people had grown to like how terrible he was at interviews. He scoffed. People liked everything he did, until they got to know him. Then they seemed to want less and less to do with him. Not that it mattered to Levi anyways. He was too busy with music to be worried about a relationship. Every woman he ever loved just ended up wasting his time and leaving in the end. It was almost funny. 

Levi checked the time on his dashboard and cursed silently. They were going to be late to the meeting with the brats. Luckily, their personal studio wasn't far from headquarters, where they had asked the kids to meet them. It had only been a few days since their manager had contacted Levi to let him know he was ready to tell the band about the tour. Levi knew a meeting was necessary, but he didn't expect it to be so soon. He was a bit wary since he had no idea what they would be like. The band they tried to get as their opening act before them was a fucking nightmare. They had backed out of the deal a few weeks after practice had begun because they thought the money wasn't enough. Idiots. It was obvious they knew nothing about how the music industry worked.

The 1975. Levi turned the name around in his head a few times. It was interesting, but had a nice ring to it. Levi supposed the four teens were just interesting in general. He thought back to when he first saw them perform at the Observatory a few months ago. It was around the time their opening act had fucking bailed on them. He, Hange, and Erwin had only agreed to perform at the Observatory in the first place because they needed to go talent scouting. Levi didn't expect to find it in the form of a couple scruffy kids. But there was clearly something special about them. As soon as they took the stage, their presence just demanded the audience’s attention. They were all decently attractive and the lead singer was charismatic too. But the way they performed is what made Levi want them so bad. It was obvious that despite their age they had a lot of experience with music. The Asian girl played the guitar with enough skill and precision to honestly rival Levi himself. Both the blond kid on the drums and the tall one playing bass clearly knew what they were doing as well. And the singer sang so passionately it was almost… sexy in a way. Levi could imagine him being a big hit among younger fans. He just hoped they weren't total douche bags.

Levi pulled up to the gate at headquarters around the same time as Hange and Erwin. He could see both of their cars behind him. Levi thought about the kids and hoped security at the guest entrance hadn't given them any shit. Erwin had made sure to inform everyone that they would be coming, but still, those guys weren't the smartest. Levi rolled down the window quickly in order the scan his ID card, and swore when a wave of heat hit him. He supposed he shouldn't have worn all black today, but then again 90% of his wardrobe was black. Levi pulled into the parking lot and reluctantly got out of his car. Hange and Erwin parked in the spots next to him and got out to greet him.

“Leviii!” Hange squealed, throwing her arms around him. “It’s been so long!”

Levi rolled his eyes. “Get off me, it’s too hot. And we just saw each other at the conference.”

“But that was 15 minutes ago! I’ve been dying to see your grumpy face again.” she laughed. Levi pushed her off, despite her protests. 

Erwin smiled and began walking towards the entrance. “Come on you two, we shouldn't keep those kids waiting.”

Levi sighed and began walking after Erwin. It was that blond Sasquatch’s fault they were late in the first place. He always asked too many damn questions during meetings. Hange sped ahead of both of them.

“I’m so excited to meet them! I bet their accents are so cute.”

Levi grimaced. “Don't be creepy Hange, they’re 12.”

“They are not. And the singer totally looks like your type Levi.” 

“Tch. I’m not into boys 10 years younger than me.” Levi stuck his hands in his pocket and tried to ignore the giggles coming from Hange. 

She wiggled her eyebrows and winked at him. “Okay Levi.”

Levi’s eye twitched. He had been with only women his whole life, yet Hange was convinced that he was still in the closet. According to her, Levi has made some questionable comments while drunk that he currently has absolutely no recollection of. Either way it didn't really matter what she thought. Her assumptions were all based on speculation. They were now walking through the cool hallways on the way to the meeting room. Hange turned around to face Levi and Erwin, now walking backwards. 

“Think I should go say hi?” Hange’s eyes had a mischievous glint to them.

“Oi Hange…” Levi warned, but it was already too late. Hange spun around and began speed walking towards the room at an impressive rate. Erwin sighed, but didn't even attempt to stop her. When she reached the room, Hange paused at the door for a second before flinging it open with all her strength. An obnoxiously loud bang resounded throughout the hall. Levi glanced inside and noted with slight amusement that everyone nearly jumped out of their seats. 

“I'M SO SORRY WE’RE LATE!” Hange all but screamed. Levi scoffed and rolled his eyes. He knew Hange was trying to freak them out on purpose, and it was working. The blond kid seemed about ready to pass out the moment the door slammed open.

“That's enough Hange. I’m already getting a headache.” Levi said, stepping inside. He noticed that as soon as he spoke, the messy haired singer’s focus snapped onto him. His eyes were wide and his mouth was slightly parted. Erwin shut the door behind him, and the three members sat down at the table across from the teens. Levi recognized their manager that they had met a few times sitting on the far left. Next to him was the tall bassist, the nervous blond drummer, the cute girl guitarist, and lastly, the wide eyed singer. Levi let his gaze roll over him. Now that he was directly in front of the boy, he seemed to be purposely avoiding Levi’s eyes. Levi frowned slightly. Hange was certainly right about him being cute. His eyes were enormous and sea green, while his skin was a healthy golden tan. His left nostril was pierced with a small silver hoop.

Erwin cleared his throat. “As Hange said earlier,” He began, “we’re sorry for making you guys wait. We got caught up in a few meetings. But before we get started, would you all introduce yourselves to Levi and Hange? I’ve been the one in contact with your manager, so I already know who you guys are.” He finished with a smile. Levi just barely managed to resist the urge to roll his eyes this time. Of course Erwin was the one in charge of the situation.

The teal-eyed brat stood up eagerly. “My name is Eren Jaeger. I’m the singer and backup guitarist.” His accent was incredibly thick and his voice had a boyish tone to it. Levi tried to ignore the fact that there was a shiny metal ball on his tongue. Were tongue piercings still a thing? Eren shook each one of their hands, starting with Erwin. Levi noted that his hand seemed to linger on Erwin’s a bit too long. When he reached Levi, he blushed slightly and confessed that he was a big fan. The way his cheeks reddened and his gaze lowered was rather cute. Levi couldn't resist staring at Eren’s mouth, and the way the piercing flashed when he spoke. His lips were full and looked incredibly soft. But there was something in his smile that made Levi slightly uncomfortable. He couldn't quite put his finger on what it was though. Levi pushed the thought aside and thanked him, shaking his hand. The rest of the members introduced themselves as Jean, Mikasa, and Armin, and Erwin continued on with the meeting.

“As I’m sure you all know, the tour you guys will be a part of is for our most recent album, AM. The debut show is scheduled to be here in LA at the beginning of June. Your manager informed us that your first album is nearly complete. How’s that coming along?”

Levi noted that there was a slight hesitation within the group. Eren spoke up quickly.

“Well, most of it is complete, but we still have a couple songs left to practice and record.” he said, glancing at his friends. 

Levi narrowed his eyes. “Exactly how many songs do you guys have to record?” 

“Three.”

“Hm. That’s not too bad. Two months should be enough time for you kids to finish putting the album together and practicing live performances.” Levi said.

Hange nodded. “Our team can help you guys with your album cover, promotion, as well as sales, so you don't have to worry about those things too much.” she said excitedly.

Armin’s eyes widened. “Really?”

“Of course. But just as a warning, don't expect a huge amount of pay from this tour. You guys won't be rich overnight.” Erwin said, no doubt thinking about the last opening act they tried to secure.

“We don't care about money.” Eren interjected quickly, nearly cutting Erwin off. There was a slight sharpness to his tone. Levi fought back a smirk. Seems like Sasquatch unintentionally struck a nerve. Mikasa shot Eren a warning look. 

“What Eren means,” Jean began, “is the exposure we’re going to get from touring with you guys is more than enough.” 

“Oh? How admirable.” Levi said, unable to keep the sarcasm from his voice. He was thoroughly amused. These kids were really different from what he’s experienced so far. In fact, they reminded him of Hange, Erwin, and himself when they were just starting out. He recognized the look of determination on their faces. Levi had a gut feeling that they were going to go far, regardless of if they had his help or not.

Erwin laughed quietly. “That's good to hear. I just wanted to make sure there were no false expectations. The last band we tried to get as our opening act left because they wanted more pay.” 

Eren relaxed slightly, a sheepish look on his face. “They must not be very smart then.” he murmured. 

Hange placed her hands on the desk and leaned forward slightly. “You guys should finish recording everything soon, so we all can work on the live performances together!” The light was reflecting off her glasses in a way that made her look rather scary.

Levi sighed under his breath. Hange always got way too excited when it came to performing. It wasn't a bad thing though. In fact, Levi was sure that without her, their concerts wouldn't be as good as they are now. She constantly pushed Levi and Erwin to get off their asses and start practicing. “Four eyes is right,” Levi said. “But until then, we’ll still be able to answer any questions you guys may have.”

“Right. Here’s our business card with our numbers written on it. If you ever need help with anything, you can contact us.” Erwin handed each of the kids a small piece of paper. They almost looked like they were in a daze. Levi assumed that today was a lot for the kids to process. 

“Any questions?” Levi asked. Eren spoke up.

“It's not really a question, but I was wondering if I could talk to you for a bit after this, Levi.”

Levi froze. Shit, what did the kid want? He searched Eren’s eyes but only saw a bit of nervousness. Well, he did say they would be able to help them with anything they needed. He supposed it wouldn't hurt, even though he knew Hange would never shut up about it.

“Yeah sure kid.”

Hange seemed about ready to burst. “Well, I guess that’s the end of the meeting then! It was nice meeting you all. I know this tour is going to be memorable!” She stood up hastily and tugged at Erwin’s arm, quickly winking at Levi. Erwin said goodbye to each one of the kids and their manager before he was all but dragged outside by Hange. Levi gritted his teeth. She really was insufferable. Everyone else stood up as well, except for Eren. 

“We’ll wait for you in the car.” Mikasa said, placing her hand on his shoulder before leaving with Armin. Jean seemed to linger a bit and was staring at Eren rather hard, who seemed to be intentionally avoiding his gaze. He gave up eventually, and followed his friends outside. The door shut behind him, and Levi turned to face Eren. The room was awfully quiet now. 

“What is it kid?” he sighed. Levi noticed that Eren's eyebrow twitched ever so slightly every time he called him ‘kid’. It was rather amusing. 

Eren looked down at his hands, his cheeks flushing again. “Well, to be honest I’ve been having a bit of trouble finishing the last three songs for the album. Your songwriting has a really big influence on me, so I was wondering if you could help me?” He looked up expectantly, his big eyes practically sparkling. Fuck, he looks so innocent. Levi felt guilty for being slightly turned on by his tongue piercing earlier. Levi’s mind had been in the gutter. The kid probably had no idea what those tended to be associated with. 

Levi thought about it for a moment. He wanted to help him, but he wasn't sure exactly what it was he expected. If anything, he could just give Eren advice on how to get his creativity flowing. “Well I can't write the songs for you, but I can help you with the process.” 

Eren’s face brightened. “That’s all I need. Can I meet with you soon to talk about the lyrics?” 

He hummed. For the most part, Levi liked his privacy and alone time. But there was something about Eren that intrigued him. Maybe it was the fact that he seemed to be passionate about what he did. Or maybe it was because Levi knew he was hiding something. He couldn't put his finger on what, but something was definitely off about the boy. Regardless of what the reason was, Levi couldn't help but be inclined to mentor him. 

“We can work something out. You have my number on that card Sasquatch gave you, so feel free to text me when you want to meet up.”

A huge grin broke out on Eren’s face. “Thank you so much Levi. I’m really excited to work with you.” Levi looked away and felt a slight warmth in his cheeks. 

“Yeah, don't mention it,” he muttered. “You should probably catch up with your friends.” 

Eren stood up and reached out to shake Levi’s hand again, that stupid smile still on his face. “I’ll see you again soon.”

Levi grunted and returned the handshake, still avoiding his eyes slightly. With that, Eren said goodbye and hurried outside, a noticeable spring in his step. When the door shut behind him, Levi let out a breath and slumped down in his seat. That kid was so bright it was almost painful to look at him. Levi ran his hand through his jet black hair. He felt exhausted and was eager to return to his apartment. Being around those four made him feel incredibly old. Well, he supposed that in comparison, 27 was rather old. But he had never felt that way until now. They all seemed to exude this aura of youth and excitement. Their lives and careers have only just begun, and Levi had a feeling it wasn't going to end any time soon. With a sigh, he stood up and made his way out the door and down the hall. Once he left the building, the heat hit him with incredible force. He cursed and hurried towards his car. He really needed a nice shower and a cup of tea.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The next chapter will go back to Eren's point of view, picking up from when they leave the headquarters. Kudos and comments would really make my day. Thank you for reading!


	3. Haunt // Bed

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eren has a haunting dream about his past.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HI guys! Just a heads up, this chapter contains a little bit of Jean x Eren. Sorry If that's not really your cup of tea, but its crucial to the plot and character development. Also possible TW for mentions of alcoholism and using sex as a coping mechanism.

Eren walked outside the building feeling elated. He couldn't fucking believe it. He was going to have the opportunity to work with one of his role models. And holy fuck. If Eren thought Levi was attractive in pictures, it was nothing compared to seeing him face to face. His skin was pale and smooth and his eyes were an intense, moody grey. His hair looked neat and soft, and the whole meeting Eren was so tempted to run his hand through those black locks. Eren had never seen someone make a plain black v-neck look so sexy. It was really hard to put on an innocent facade, but he had to. It would be no fun if Eren came on too strong scared the man away. He knew he had to take baby steps.

Eren spotted Hans’ old van and hurried towards it. He pulled open the door with a smile and slid in next to Armin. Jean was sitting up front with Hans, and Mikasa opted to sit in the back. Eren shut the door behind him, and Jean turned around immediately.

“What did you do, Eren.” 

Eren rolled his eyes. “Relax. It’s not like we fucked on the table or something. I would need a lot more than 10 minutes to do that.”

Hans started the car and pulled out of the parking space quickly. “Watch your language brat.”

Armin looked at Eren inquisitively. “What were you guys talking about?” he asked.

Eren shrugged. “I asked him to work with me on the last few songs I haven't finished. I figured having a professional opinion would be helpful, that’s all.”

Jean snorted and Eren glared at him.

“Is there something you have to say, Jean?”

“I highly doubt your music is the only thing you want him to work on. You were practically undressing him with your eyes the whole meeting.” 

Eren couldn't help but laugh. “Shit, was it that obvious?” 

Jean raised his voice an octave and began batting his eyelashes. “‘Oh Levi, I’m such a big fan of yours.’” Jean laughed and shook his head. “I wanted to fucking gag. If he really fell for that innocent fanboy shit, then he’s in for a real shock later on.” 

Eren sighed and rested his head against the seat. “Fuck you Jean. Armin, was it really that obvious that I was staring at him?”

Armin hummed. “You were staring, but I don't think it looked like anything… inappropriate.”

“You’re kidding right?” Jean said incredulously.

“They don't know Eren like we do.” Mikasa chimed in. 

Eren relaxed a little. So long as his friends were the only ones to see through his act, it was all good. He wanted Levi to lower his guards when they were around each other, and that would be much harder if he knew Eren wanted to get in his pants. Besides, Eren wasn't even sure if Levi was into men. If he wasn't, then that could become really awkward really fast. He had to wait for Levi to make the first move, or at least show some type of sign that he’s interested. Eren laughed quietly. Now that he’s found a new person to play with, he was really excited. These next few weeks were going to be fun. 

Armin sighed suddenly. “God, I can't believe they were actually in front of us. Erwin was so tall. I’ve never seen a drummer his height before.”

“Dude, I know. Did you feel the size of his hand?” Eren said. “His dick must be massive.” 

Jean spit out the water he had been sipping. “Jesus fuck I hate you.”

“Eren, watch your fucking language.” Hans repeated, the tips of his ears red.

Eren snorted. “Oh come on, I know you all were thinking it.”

Mikasa raised her hand in the back. “I definitely was not.”

Armin was giggling. “Yeah Eren I think you’re on your own on that one.” 

“Aw man. You guys are lame.” Eren said, trying to hide the grin on his face. He secretly lived for making people uncomfortable with his blunt comments, even though everyone else hated him for it. 

“Hange was kind of scary though.” Armin said, changing the topic.

Jean laughed. “No kidding. I almost shat myself when she came in. But still, she’s a fucking amazing bass player.”

Mikasa nodded in agreement. “The short one’s pretty great at guitar too.”

As the conversation drifted, Jean, Armin, and Mikasa began arguing about whether or not they could beat Levi, Hange and Erwin at Band Hero. Eren looked out the window at downtown LA, lost in his own thoughts. All jokes aside, he was really grateful to get the opportunity to work with a band like the Arctic Monkeys. Eren pulled out the business card with Levi, Hange, and Erwin’s numbers on it. It was nice that they all were willing to help each of them work on their skills. Eren was anxious to meet up with Levi and hear what he had to say about his songs. A part of him felt like he didn't deserve this chance, but at the same time he knew that they all have worked their asses off every day for the past couple years. They were young, but that just made them even more determined.

Eren had sacrificed a lot in his life. Even more so, he’s had things taken from him that he never wanted to lose. His mother had died when he was really young, and his father drank himself to death a few years after. He also lost the one person he ever truly loved only a year ago. Golden hair and pale blue eyes flashed through Eren’s mind, and he felt a sharp pang in his chest. He squeezed his eyes shut and clenched his fists. I wonder what she’s doing now… He shook his head and pushed the thought aside. Now wasn't the time to be thinking about the past. He was lucky enough to have his friends, Hans, and music.

Pretty soon they arrived home. Eren sighed at the difference between their shabby apartment and the cool, pristine building the meeting was held in. They really were worlds away from reaching the Arctic Monkeys’ level. But in no way did Eren feel like it was impossible.

It really was only a matter of time.

For the remainder of the day, the teens work on their skills individually. Aside from the songs Eren hadn't completed yet, the rest of the album was already recorded and ready to go. He was currently laying on his bed, tapping his pen on his notebook. The page was blank except for the words “Fallingforyou” written at the top. Eren closed his eyes and sighed. He had made good progress on the two other songs, but for some reason he couldn't even begin to write to words for this song. He had only a vague sense of what he wanted it to be about. At this point, it probably wasn't even going to make it on the album, but he still wanted to get it done regardless. Eren considered texting Levi, but decided against it as they had only just met today. Maybe tomorrow it would be ok to call and ask to meet up sometime this week. But for tonight, Eren decided he just needed to get some sleep. He tossed his notebook under the bunk him and Jean shared. Eren quietly stripped down to his boxers and turned off the lamp on the small stand next to his bed. Judging by the soft snores coming from above him, Jean was sound asleep. Eren scoffed quietly and shut his eyes, eventually managing to drift off.

***  
_  
“What are you talking about Annie?” Eren’s heart was beating erratically in his chest. Nothing she was saying made any sense._

_“I can't be with you.” Annie’s face was expressionless. Well, Eren supposed she had always been the type to hide her emotions. But right now, her eyes were unrecognizably flat and empty._

_“But...why?” Eren struggled to find words. “You told me you would always love me.”_

_Annie shrugged her shoulders and looked away. “I guess I lied.”_

_Eren felt panic slowly begin to rise inside him. “Whatever it is I did I can fix it, I swear. Just talk to me, please.”_

_“There's nothing to talk about. I don't feel anything for you anymore.” Her eyes were focused on the wall behind Eren. He reached out to grab her shoulder, and she jerked away from him violently. Eren’s hand shrunk back to his side._

_“Annie...please don't say these things.” His voice cracked slightly, and he hated himself for how childish he sounded._

_“I’m sorry, Eren. I just need to focus on myself now. You're weighing me down.”_

_Her words hurt like a knife in Eren’s chest. He had noticed for the past week that Annie seemed a bit distant. But he could have never imagined it would lead to this. Eren felt like he was falling with nothing to grab hold of._

_“I can't be without you Annie.” He couldn't stop the tears from falling at this point, but Annie still wouldn't make eye contact._

_“I’m sorry.” she said, turning away from him. Eren stopped himself from reaching out to touch her again. He didn't know what to do._

_“Annie. Annie!” Eren tried calling out to her, but with each shout of her name she drifted further and further away. A strangled sob escaped Eren’s throat, and his vision slowly began to fade to black._

_Why must he lose everyone he loves?_  
  
***  
At first, Jean wasn't sure what woke him. His eyes snapped open in the dark, and he felt around on his bed for his phone. He pressed the lock button and saw that it was only 2 in the morning. He groaned slightly, about to shut his eyes again when he heard a sound coming from the bed beneath him. He froze and held his breath, listening closely. A few seconds passed when he heard it again: a quiet whimper. Jean sat up and climbed down the steps of the bunk bed. When he reached the ground, he slowly crouched in front of Eren’s bed. Eren’s brows were furrowed and his face was twisted in a frown. Jean reached out to brush his friend’s sweaty bangs out of his face.

“Eren.” Jean whispered his name, afraid to startle him out of his sleep. Eren groaned and flopped onto his back, still sound asleep. Jean shook him slightly, but Eren only whimpered again. 

A few moments passed and Eren’s breathing became more and more labored. Jean watched his friend closely, unsure of whether or not he should wake him.

Eren was murmuring slightly, and Jean leaned in closely.

“Annie.. Annie why?”

Jean froze. Shit, this is bad, he thought. Jean gripped Eren’s shoulder firmly and shook.

“Eren. Eren wake up.” Eren’s frown deepened and he began to sob slightly. Jean called his name louder this time, anxious to wake him up from the nightmare he was undoubtedly reliving.

Eren’s eyes blinked open slowly, still cloudy with sleep. “Annie?” he whispered hopefully. Eren looked almost childlike in his daze, and Jean’s heart sank.

“Annie’s not here, Eren. It’s just me.” He said quietly. Eren frowned when the realization hit him, and his eyes began to water. 

“Jean,” he whispered, “Please hold me.” Jean sighed, but crawled into the small space next to Eren without hesitation. Eren laid his head on his shoulder, and gripped his T-shirt tightly. Huge green eyes turned onto him, and his heart thudded. “I need you right now.” Eren murmured. His hand slowly trailed from Jean’s chest to his stomach before dropping below his waist. He fanned his fingers out and palmed him slightly through his boxers. Jean’s breath hitched and he squeezed his eyes shut. Why does this always happen when Eren dreams about her? He thought. However, he was quickly distracted by the persistence of Eren’s hand. He was already partially hard from his sleep, and this definitely wasn't helping. He had to end this here before it led to something else.

Jean reached down and grabbed his arm firmly. Eren froze and looked up, his eyes wide. Jean hesitated. The look on Eren’s face reminded him of when they were young. Eren would run to his house whenever his dad got piss drunk, and they would lay together and hold hands in Jean’s bed while Eren cried. It was one of the few moments of their childhood when they wouldn't tease or fight each other. Jean scoffed and brought Eren’s hand back to his crotch, no longer interested in stopping him. He supposed that not much has changed from when they were kids. He still felt like it was his duty to protect and comfort his friend. _Well,_ he thought, glancing down at Eren who was now running his hand up and down his dick, _I guess my methods of comforting him have changed a little._

Jean's thoughts were halted when Eren suddenly slid down, his face inches away from his cock. He sucked the tip into his mouth and teased it with that little silver ball on his tongue. Those huge green eyes were locked with his, and a small moan escaped Jean's lips. Eren grabbed his hand and guided it onto his messy brown locks. Jean knew what Eren wanted him to do, and his heart sank a little. He gripped Eren's hair, but then pulled him off his dick with a pop. Eren looked up at him, obviously confused and ticked off.

Jean tried to control his breathing. “Come on baby,” he panted, “can't we just be gentle for once?”

“Jean,” Eren began, placing his hand on his thigh, “I need you to fuck my mouth as hard as you can.” His voice was pleading and shaky.

Jean sighed. Whenever Eren dreamt about Annie, he always wanted Jean to treat him as rough as possible. Sometimes he even asked Jean to verbally degrade him. These nights always left a bad taste in his mouth, but he knew that for some reason it allowed Eren to forget about Annie. Jean recalled the one time he refused to go along with Eren's demands, Eren had cried the whole night and wouldn't speak to anyone for a week. That girl really messed him up, Jean thought.

Jean gave in and yanked Eren back towards his cock. Eren opened his mouth eagerly, and completely engulfed the shaft. Jean shuddered and began moving Eren’s head up and down, slowly at first but quickly picking up pace. Pretty soon Jean had both hands entangled in his hair, and his hips were snapping up to meet Eren's mouth. Eren was moaning uncontrollably, and tears were gathering at the corner of his eyes. The sight of his dick disappearing behind those plump, red lips was quickly pushing Jean towards the edge.

“Eren,” he growled, “Eren I’m gonna cum.” The brunet ignored him, and continued to move his head along with Jean’s thrusts. After one final push, Jean gripped Eren’s hair and came hard down his throat. Eren moaned loudly and swallowed around him. Exhausted, Jean flopped his head back onto the pillow. He felt Eren crawl up next to him. He looked wrecked and sleepy, but also more himself than when Jean had first woken him up. Eren smiled and laid his head back onto Jean's shoulder.

“Thank you.”

Jean rolled his eyes and laughed. “Yeah, don't mention it freak.” Eren punched his shoulder before snuggling into the crook of his neck. They drifted off to sleep in a tangle of limbs.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this chapter was pretty short! I needed a good stopping point. Next chapter is going to be more focused on Levi and Eren I swear ;)


	4. Pretty Visitors

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eren and Levi meet again, and Eren tries to play it cool.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi guys! For the texting in this chapter, I just wanted to point out that Eren's texts are italicized, and Levi's are in bold. Enjoy :)

The first thing Eren noticed when he had finally awoken was that he was sweaty. He tried to sit up, and saw that Jean was fast asleep with his arm and leg draped across Eren’s body. He rolled his eyes and carefully wiggled out from under his sleeping friend, not wanting to disturb him. Eren glanced at the time on his phone, and saw that it was only 5 in the morning. He groaned, fully aware that wouldn’t be able to fall back asleep now. Eren pressed the palms of his hands against his eyelids, attempting to recall what happened last night. He knew that he had a nightmare, but he couldn't remember what it was about for the life of him. This always happened when he had a particularly bad dream. His memory becomes irritatingly fuzzy. Eren always assumed it was a defense mechanism of sorts, but it still annoyed him nevertheless. He glanced over at Jean. Judging from the fact that they were _snuggling_ just moments ago, Eren knew they did something. Did they fuck? No. If that was the case, he would be at least a little sore. He most likely just gave him head. _A shame_ , Eren thought swinging his legs over the edge of the bed, _I’ve been meaning to get laid_. Eren stood up slowly and headed for the bathroom, in desperate need of a nice shower. Although he hated how his nightmares often kept him up, he loved early morning showers. It felt like the hot water and steam melted away any bad lingering feelings from his sleep. Eren also enjoyed how cool the mornings were without the LA heat. He was able to walk around the house or sit outside comfortably. Thankfully, today was the day someone was supposed to come fix the AC, so he supposed he wouldn’t have to worry about that issue for too long.

Once inside the bathroom, Eren wasted no time in peeling off his boxers and turning the shower on as hot as he could handle. He stepped into the steaming spray and almost immediately felt the tension begin to drain from his body. The foggy tendrils of sleep began to drift from his mind, and he was able to finally think clearly. He was fairly certain that last night he had a dream about Annie, and Jean had woken him up. Eren felt slightly guilty. He hated having to rely on his friends to protect him or to make him feel better, but somehow that always seemed to happen. Eren liked to pretend that he was the one defending Armin, Mikasa, and even Jean. But it was moments like these that reminded him he was the weakest of the bunch. Eren sighed and let his mind wander, not wanting to focus too much on the topic. It always put him in a foul mood if he thought about it too hard.

Instead, Eren replayed his conversation with Levi after the meeting. He had said that Eren could contact him whenever if he wanted to work on his lyrics. Eren hummed and decided that today would be a good time to text him. Although it had only been a day since the meeting, he figured sooner was better than later. The faster he wrapped up on his end, the faster the band could move onto other tasks. Eren felt a twinge of excitement at the prospect of being able to meet up with Levi soon. He was dying to know more about the man he had idolized for so long. Of course, most of his excitement was work related, but he couldn't help the devilish side of him that was excited for other reasons. Reasons like being able to see those grey eyes and clean features up close again. Eren smiled slightly when he thought about how short the man was. He was at least two inches shorter than Eren, who was only 5’8 himself. Somehow it didn't look odd though. His body was perfectly proportioned, and the height was just a cute touch. But, in Eren’s opinion, he was definitely more sexy than he was cute. Eren bit his lip when he thought about those strong, muscular arms. He imagined that Levi could easily hold him up against a wall and-

Eren shook his head, interrupting his own train of thought. Now wasn't the time to let his fantasies run wild. He needed to focus on his work and find out more about the man along the way. In addition to that, he knew he had to get Levi interested in him before he attempted anything. He wanted the man to want him. Eren didn't even mind if Levi was straight, and in fact, he viewed it as a fun obstacle in his little game. Eren smirked. He had been fucked by a lot of straight men, and it was always so satisfying. No one could resist his charm, at least in his mind. He just had to gently push Levi towards the edge until the man came undone. It was a game all about time and subtlety. With that thought Eren quickly finished up his shower, determined to text Levi as soon as possible. He threw on a pair of jeans and a t-shirt, and put his favorite gold hoop into his nose. With one last look in the mirror, he quietly made his way down the hall and towards the backdoor. 

Their apartment had a tiny balcony that he liked to go to and think. The weather was still blissfully cool, as it was just barely 6 in the morning. Eren plopped into one of the chairs they always kept outside and pulled out his phone. He wasn’t ashamed to admit he had already saved Levi’s contact. However, he would keep it to himself that he put the pink heart and water droplet emojis next to his name. That was strictly for his entertainment only. Eren sat there for a minute, trying to think of how to begin the text. Despite all his bravado, he couldn't help feeling a bit intimidated by the man. He had looked up to him for so long that he still couldn't quite wrap his mind around the fact that he even had his number. With one last breath, Eren swallowed any nervousness he was feeling and typed out a simple message:

_Hey Levi, It’s Eren from The 1975. I was wondering when you would be available to meet up and go over a few things. I’m free whenever, so just let me know!_

Eren hit send and locked his phone. It was only 6 in the morning, so he doubted he would be getting a text back any time soon. He pulled a cigarette out of the pack in his pocket, and set it between his lips. Eren didn't consider himself much of a smoker, but every once in awhile he allowed himself to. It was usually when he was subconsciously anxious and didn't want to acknowledge it. He flicked his lighter on and was just barely inhaling the first puff when his phone vibrated. Eren’s heart thudded and he waited a second before checking the screen. He froze. Levi had already texted back. It was so early that Eren hadn't expected a response. He unlocked his phone and read the message.

**You’re up early kid. I’m busy at the moment, but I have nothing going on Wednesday. Do you want to meet then?**

Eren’s eyebrow twitched slightly at the word “kid”, but he ignored it. _Not like that really matters_ , Eren thought smirking, _In a few weeks this “kid” is going to be riding the shit out of you, Levi_. Eren toyed with the silver ball on his tongue, slightly satisfied by the thought. Levi definitely wouldn't be able to call him kid by that point. He took another drag of his cigarette and texted back:

_Couldn't sleep. And yeah Wednesday sounds great. Where should we meet? I don't really have a car to use._

Eren didn't want to ask Hans to borrow the van. It was the only car they all had, and if Eren used it that would mean everyone else would be stuck with walking. Soon after he sent the text, his phone buzzed again.

**That makes two of us. And don't worry about driving, I can pick you up. There’s a cafe near my house we can go to.**

Eren’s cheeks flushed at the idea of getting picked up by Levi. The whole coffee shop thing seemed very close to a date, though he highly doubted the older man saw it that way. Eren also couldn't help wondering why Levi had a hard time sleeping. Maybe he had troubles similar to him. Eren was really eager to find out more about him.

_Sounds good to me! I’ll be ready at 10 and you can pick me up here._

Eren sent his location. Wednesday was only in a couple days, but it suddenly felt like ages away. Levi shot back a simple “ok” and Eren set his phone down. He shut his eyes and leaned back, enjoying the feel of the sun on his face. An overwhelming feeling of happiness enveloped him. This was something a lot of other artist dreamed about. The chance to be able to work with someone you admired that had succeeded in the industry was so rare. He knew that this was only the beginning for him and his friends. He absolutely couldn't wait.

“You really shouldn't smoke Eren.”

Eren’s eyes snapped open and he nearly jumped out of his skin. He whirled around to see Mikasa standing at the door. She looked like she had just woken up, as she was still wearing an oversized t-shirt and loose shorts. _How does she always manage to sneak up on me?_ Eren thought. He rolled his eyes and patted the seat next to him, urging her to come sit down. She sighed and padded over. 

“I’m serious, it’s bad for you.”

Eren feigned shock. “Shit really? I didn't know that. This will be my last one, I swear.”

Mikasa rolled her eyes at the heavy sarcasm. “Who are you texting. You were smiling like a weirdo.”

Eren chuckled slightly. “I was planning a date with Levi. You should text him too Mik. I know he’d be willing to work with you.”

Mikasa hummed. “Thanks, but I don't really need it.”

Eren shrugged but didn't say anything. He knew she was right. Mikasa was the best guitarist he knew hands down. She could out-shred any guy in the industry.

Mikasa reached out and gently touched the bags under Eren’s eyes, frowning. “You really need to sleep more,” she mumbled. 

Eren sighed. Mikasa always worried about him too much, ever since they were kids. Hans had adopted her not long after he had taken Eren in, so she was basically his sister. Ever since they were young she had been the one watching over him and protecting him from harm. While Jean had always been the one to soothe his emotional troubles, Mikasa looked after his physical health. She made sure he ate, slept, went to class, and would even jump in to help Eren in a fight. He used to tease her and call her “the world’s youngest mother”, but he also was immensely grateful. He would probably be dead without Mikasa.

“I know, Mik. I’ll go to sleep early tonight, ok?”

Mikasa sighed and made him promise, which he did. She leaned her head on Eren’s shoulder, and the two of them watched the sky change colors as the sun rose.

***

Wednesday came sooner than Eren thought it would. He had woken up around 9 to a text from Levi asking if he was still on for today. It made him slightly happy because it seemed as though Levi had been looking forward to their meeting as well. Eren showered and got dressed quickly, throwing on his best fitting pair of jeans and one of his favorite t-shirts and vans. He wanted to pair it with a flannel but considering it was going to be hot as balls outside, he decided against it. By the time he was finished, it was only slightly past 9:30. He had been super anxious to leave and had incidentally sped through his normal routine, resulting in him waiting in the living room fully dressed like a dumbass. Eren knew Hans would be livid if he saw him wearing his shoes inside the house, but quite frankly he was too fidgety to care. Armin came down at one point to make a cup of coffee and had just laughed when he saw Eren sitting on the couch awkwardly. He had teased him, saying something about “first date jitters”, but Eren opted to ignore him. The time crawled by excruciatingly slow. At 9:30, Eren got a text from Levi letting him know he was on the way. His stomach was doing flips, and Eren frowned. It really wasn't like him to get so nervous. He had the most balls out of anyone. Well, he supposed this situation was much different than any other he had experienced. Levi was literally his wallpaper on his home screen (which reminded Eren not to be on his phone around Levi). But even still, he wasn't the type to get anxious. He lightly slapped both of his cheeks and shook his head. _Remember who the fuck you are Eren_ , he told himself, trying to suppress any feelings of nervousness. Today he had to be focused on making progress with his songs and putting his plan into action. There was no room for weakness. 

A light knocking sound pulled Eren from his thoughts, and he eyed the door suspiciously. It was 9:55, but Levi hadn't texted or called him saying he was here. Was that really him? He stood up and crept over towards the door, cursing the fact that their shitty apartment didn't even have a peephole. After only a moment's hesitation, he opened it, revealing a very short, very sexy, and very grumpy looking Levi. Eren’s breath caught in his throat momentarily, but he recovered quickly and flashed him one of his best smiles.

“You’re here early,” he said, stepping outside and closing the door behind him. Eren didn't miss how Levi’s gaze quickly flitted up and down his body, and he had to repress a knowing smirk. 

The older man scoffed. “I hate being late. Let’s go brat, I’m parked over here.”

Eren followed him down the walkway, and couldn't help feeling slightly happy at the realization that Levi had wanted to greet him at the door. It was making the situation feel even more like a first date. Eren wondered if the shorter man felt the same way, but a small part of him already knew that Levi only viewed it as a business relationship. Aside from his initial one over, he hadn't even looked at Eren. He had a feeling that Levi was a “no bs” kind of person, which could prove to be difficult. If Eren overstepped his boundaries too soon, he could get shut down immediately. Hopefully, he could show enough of his personality today in order to add a little warmth between them without overdoing it.

Eren bit his lip as he walked behind the man. He was so goddamn sexy. His hair was incredibly clean cut, and Eren had a feeling the pitch black was its natural color. He was wearing a simple white shirt and black jeans that accentuated his build perfectly. Eren would kill to be pinned under those strong arms and silvery gaze. He was craving it. 

They arrived at the car (a stunning black Porsche) and Levi opened the passenger seat for Eren to sit.

Eren smiled and winked at him. “Why, thank you sir.”

Levi rolled his eyes. “Cheeky. Now get in.” Eren laughed and slid into the sleek black interior. Not long after, Levi plopped down next to him, and the car purred to life. Eren glanced over at him and suddenly felt oddly self conscious. Levi looked perfectly in place sitting inside the expensive sports car, and Eren could only imagine that in comparison he looked ridiculous. He had never even seen a car this nice before, and here he was wearing a ratty band t-shirt and vans. 

Levi slid on a pair of dark shades, and his gazed flickered over to Eren. “What are you looking at brat.” he asked, turning back towards the road

Eren chuckled. “I was just thinking black must be your favorite color.” he said, not wanting to reveal the actual reason why he was staring.

Levi smirked. “I guess you could say that.”

The car fell silent for a second, and Eren was slightly worried. Levi truly didn't seem like the type who enjoyed small talk. But at the same time, Eren wanted to hear that smooth, dark voice for as long as possible.

He was about to speak up and ask the man more about himself, but to his surprise, Levi spoke first.

“How long have you been here?”

Eren fought back a smile. Seems like Levi wanted to know a little bit more about him as well. He sighed. “Not quite a year yet, so I’m still pretty new to the area.”

Levi nodded. “That must be rough for you kids, considering you're so young. I can help show you around if you need it, LA can be a real shit show.” 

Eren laughed. He wasn't sure whether to feel thankful or irritated. He decided he was both. “I’ll have to take you up on that offer,” he said, “But you known I am 18 right?”

Levi scoffed. “Yeah, four eyes told me. But you look fifteen to me.”

_Fifteen?!_ Eren thought, slightly mortified. He had been told that he had a baby face, but no one had ever guessed his age to be that low. This was going to be a problem. He had to change Levi’s mind about that quick as fuck.

“Shit, what is it that makes me look so young?” Eren asked, genuinely curious.

Levi hummed. “I guess it’s your eyes. They’re fucking huge. But maybe I’m just so used to being around people my age that anyone younger is a kid to me.”

Eren supposed that made sense. He knew Levi was 27, and he probably spent most of his time around Hange and Erwin who were about the same age. He gained a little bit of his confidence back because if that was the case, he could get Levi to view him as an adult just by spending time with him. 

“We’re here kid.”

Eren looked up and saw that they were pulling into the parking lot of a cute cafe. They were no longer in the dirty part of downtown LA where Eren lived. He recalled Levi mentioning that his house was near the cafe, so it was safe to assume a lot of wealthy people must live in the area. Eren followed Levi out of the car with his lyrics notebook in hand, a mix of excitement and nervousness still churning in his stomach. He couldn't wait to show Levi his work in progress and see what the man had to say. 

Today already felt much better than he had anticipated.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! If you have any questions or feedback feel free to leave a comment. Do you guys want the next chapter to be Levi's pov or Eren's??


	5. From the Ritz to the Rubble

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Levi and Eren talk about music, and later on, Eren spends some much needed time with his friends.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok so this chapter actually discusses real songs by The 1975, so I inserted lyrics since not everyone is familiar with them. The meanings behind the songs are totally made up to fit the story though lol. Also, the pacing for this chapter is kinda weird, but it's still fun. Enjoy!

Eren wasn't exactly sure what he expected, but the coffee shop was normal on the outside as well as the inside. He supposed that when Levi mentioned it was near his house, he pictured something high end and crawling with A-list celebrities. However, it was just... normal (albeit still really nice). In the middle of the shop, wooden tables and chairs were set up, most likely for larger groups. On the far right near the windows, there was a row of smaller tables and comfy looking chairs set up for parties of two. The majority of those seats were occupied by college students on laptops. They walked up to the counter which was being worked by a woman with platinum blonde hair named Rico. She intimidated the fuck out of Eren, but Levi was obviously comfortable talking to her. He figured Levi was a regular at this particular shop, which amused him slightly considering how hipster the place was. Levi ordered tea for himself and offered to buy Eren a coffee, which he gladly accepted. Eren took note of the suspicious glances Rico threw his way but didn't say anything about it, and neither did Levi. Once their drinks were ready, the shorter man grabbed both of them and led him to the back corner of the shop where one of the small tables were unoccupied. He sat down and handed Eren his coffee, which had a delicate leaf drawn in the foam. 

He smiled and looked up at Levi. “This place is pretty cute, I wouldn't expect it to be your kind of spot.”

Levi shrugged and looked out the window. “It’s clean here, and Rico is an old friend of mine. Plus the tea isn't total shit.”

Eren scoffed. “All tea is shit in my opinion, no offense. I can't bring myself to drink it.”

Levi looked at him and arched his eyebrow. “Aren't you British?”

The question caught Eren off guard, and he nearly choked on his coffee. “Yeah? Not all British people like tea, mate.” He couldn't resist the urge to tease the man, although he was marginally trying to keep his sass in check.

Levi rolled his eyes. “Excuse the fuck out of me, Your Highness.” Eren laughed, and found the he was liking Levi more and more by the second. He always felt uncomfortable around people who couldn't handle sarcasm, but clearly Levi was quite the opposite.

He took a sip of his tea and rubbed his hand over his face. “Alright kid, let’s focus now,” Levi said, “Where do you want to start?”

Eren hummed and pulled out his notebook. “I’ve been working on the last three songs a lot lately, and two of them are basically done but…” Eren trailed off, unsure of how to word his concerns, and Levi arched a brow, prompting him to continue. 

“Well I want one of them to close the album, but I’m not sure if that’s a good idea. And the other, I don't know if I want to include it at all.”

Levi rested his hand on his chin thoughtfully. “Let me read the closing song.”

Eren was hesitant. He had never shown someone such a raw form of his lyrics before. But he knew that he wouldn't get anywhere without letting him read what he had. He sighed and handed Levi the notebook. 

Anxiety was coiled tightly in Eren’s stomach as Levi’s gaze slid down the page. When he was finished, he set the notebook down and stared out the window. The light was illuminating his grey eyes and pale skin, and Eren swallowed. 

“If you don’t mind me asking, what’s it about?” he asked, after a few seconds of silence.

Eren slid his hand through his hair, mildly distressed. He had only ever directly explained the meaning of his lyrics to his bandmates. “It’s… it’s about my mum when she was sick.” Eren looked down at his coffee before continuing, “I was young at the time, and I was hardly around because seeing her in so much pain was too hard on me. I never once thought about how she must have felt…”

Levi raised his hand abruptly, signaling for him to stop. Eren looked up inquisitively. “We don't have to talk about this now, I can tell you don't feel comfortable telling me.” Eren breathed a sigh of relief, thankful that he didn't have to spill his guts right away. Levi changed the subject. “How do you want the song to be performed?”

“Um, I always pictured it as a slow piano ballad. Something really stripped back.”

Levi nodded. “Well, if you want my honest opinion kid, not everyone’s gonna relate to the song. But I think that’s what makes it a good ending. It gets the listener to think about you instead of themselves.”

Eren felt his mood brighten, and he smiled slightly. That’s exactly what he was aiming for.

Levi leaned back against the plush backing of the chair. “What about the song you aren't sure you want to include?” Eren picked up his notebook and flipped the page, handing it back to Levi.

His eyes scanned over it slowly, a smile ghosting his lips. When he was done, he set the notebook down and folded his arms.

“And why, exactly, would you not put this on the album?”

Eren scratched the back of his head and looked away. _Great, another uncomfortable topic…_

“Well I wrote it a long time ago, back when I was with this girl. But she ended up completely fucking me over.” Eren hated talking about Annie almost as much as he hated talking about his mom. 

Levi’s expression shifted minutely when he mentioned a girlfriend which almost made Eren laugh. He didn't consider himself straight by any means, but at the same time he was attracted to girls. If he had to label himself, pansexual would probably fit the most. However, at the mention of Annie, he figured that Levi was going to automatically assume he was straight. That may be good in the sense that Eren could get away with blatant flirting a little easier, but on the other hand, the chance of Levi losing interest would also increase. Eren decided he would just worry about it later. 

Levi furrowed his brows. “So? What’s your point? You don't want to release a song this good just because you wrote it about your ex?”

Eren pretended to be thinking for a second before saying, “Yeah. Pretty much.”

Levi rolled his eyes. “No offense kid, but that's the dumbest shit I’ve heard in awhile.”

Eren scoffed. “You know, saying ‘no offense’ doesn't make that any less offensive.” Levi ignored him and exhaled in frustration. 

“Listen, I’ve written and released countless songs about people I can't even fucking stand now,” he said, his voice a little less harsh. “But the beauty of music is, you control the meaning. You could write a song about taking a shit, and tell everyone it’s about your struggle with God. And you know what? Not a damn person could tell you otherwise.”

Eren sighed and rested his chin on his hand. Despite his crude choice of an explanation, he knew Levi was right. “Robbers” was one of the best songs he had ever written, and it would be a shame to toss it because of Annie. She had already ruined everything else. Why should he let her take his music away from him too? Eren hated feeling weak, which was the sole reason why he hadn’t destroyed the piece as soon as they broke up. He knew he needed to stop running away from the painful memories of his past.

Suddenly, Eren’s thoughts were interrupted by a shadowy figure in his peripheral vision. He looked to his right, and saw a man in a beanie and sunglasses staring at him through the glass of the window. Eren jolted, which roused Levi’s attention as well. They both looked at the man warily, not sure what he wanted or who he was. He seemed harmless, but the way he was staring made Eren uncomfortable.

“A fan of yours Levi?” he asked.

But before he could answer, the man quickly pulled a camera out of the bag he had slung over his shoulder, and snapped a picture of the two singers. He immediately shuffled off afterwards, leaving Eren at a total loss for words.

“What… the hell was that.” Eren glanced over at Levi, expecting the man to be just as confused. However, Levi’s expression made his breath catch in his throat. He looked thoroughly and completely pissed the fuck off. His brows were scrunched together, and his eyes were a dark gunmetal grey. Levi gritted his teeth, his mouth twisted in disgust.

“Fucking scumbag,” he spat. 

Eren raised his eyebrows in surprise. “You know him?” 

“Fuck no I don't know him. But I can tell that he was definitely a paparazzo,” Levi murmured. 

Eren frowned. “Paparazzi? Does this happen often?”

Levi shook his head. “Not here. We must have drawn attention to ourselves somehow. Someone sold us out.”

Eren’s frown deepend. He figured it had to have been him that caused the unwanted attention, and not due to his good looks for once. He obviously didn't fit in with this part of LA. “So is something gonna happen?” 

Levi sighed and shook his head. “If anything, they’re probably just gonna release some bullshit tabloid article.”

Eren fiddled with his nose piercing. He felt pretty shitty. He was worried that Levi might not be able to return to the cafe for a while. “I’m sorry Levi. I--”

“Don’t apologize kid,” he said, cutting Eren off. “If anything, I’m the one who's sorry. I should have known that going somewhere so public was risky. The only thing that pisses me off is how they have no shame about it.”

Eren allowed himself to relax a tiny bit. If Levi said it was ok, he shouldn't let himself stress over it. He really hated feeling guilty. “So… do they always just take random pictures of you like that? Because I felt pretty violated right now.”

Levi snorted. “I’m used to it. They’re all fucking creeps.”

Eren couldn't help shuddering at the fact that his photo was now on some random dude’s camera. There’s a fat chance he could be someone’s jerk off material tonight, judging by the way the guy was looking at him. 

Levi stood up and stretched, exposing just the tiniest bit of pale abdomen. “I hate to cut this short, but where there’s one rat there’s bound to be another. We need to get out of here before a whole swarm of them comes.”

Eren stood up as well. He was a little upset that their meeting was interrupted, but he wasn't gonna let it ruin his mood. He knew that this wasn't the last time he was going to be alone with Levi, not by a long shot. All things considered, the day had been a success. He had learned a couple interesting, albeit small, facts about the man. Things like how Levi hates being late, but not as much as he hates dirt. He holds his teacup by the rim instead of the handle and curses even more than Eren. But the fact he found the most interesting was that, despite Levi’s moody exterior and blunt tone, he was actually quite nice. He encouraged Eren and gave him quality advice. At the same time, Eren knew that he was one of those people whose bad side you did not want to be on. His reaction to the paparazzo was pretty damn scary.

The two of them cleaned up their table and headed out to the car. The ride back was relatively silent. Eren was deep in thought, and he could tell Levi was too. He knew the older man was thinking about him, which gave Eren a smug sense of satisfaction. It wasn't too long before they arrived at his apartment building.

“Thank you for today, Levi.” Eren said, almost feeling sheepish. The fact that they he had just spent the afternoon with one of his inspirations was still kind of surreal. It would probably take Eren a while to get used to seeing him like this.

Levi shrugged. “No need to thank me. Let me know when you want to continue this.”

Eren flashed him his best smile and opened the car door. “Will do.” He got out and waved goodbye, taking note of the fact that Levi waited until he was safely inside before driving away.

 

***

It was 10 o’clock on a Thursday night, and Eren, Jean, Mikasa, and Armin were all gathered in the living room with a shot of cheap vodka in hand.

“I don’t know about this,” Armin muttered, “I haven't gotten drunk in ages.”

Eren slapped his friends back. “And that’s the point! We haven't had a proper celebration since we found out about the tour.”

Mikasa rolled her eyes. “You’re not gonna get too wasted tonight Eren.”

He waved her off. “Of course I won’t. I only plan on getting moderately wasted.”

Eren felt like it had been too long since all four of them had the opportunity to be together and relax. He was still in a good mood from his meeting with Levi yesterday, so he wanted to do something fun with his friends. Last summer, they had this routine where they would go to Armin’s house every Thursday since it happened to be the one day all of them were free. Eren would bring liquor that he stole from Hans, and they would get drunk off their asses. However, It was hard for them to continue “turn up Thursdays” (as Jean so tastefully dubbed it) ever since they moved to the States. But tonight, Hans had gone to sleep early, and the four of them frankly had nothing better to do.

“Oi Mikasa, Armin, place your bets on who can take more shots between me and Eren.” Jean said with a challenging smirk.

Eren rolled his eyes. Did that bastard really think he could out-drink him?

Mikasa huffed and fumbled through her pockets throwing down a $10 bill. “I’m betting on Eren.”

Armin placed a $5 on the table shortly after, throwing Jean an apologetic glance. “My guess is that I’m gonna quit first, followed by Jean, Mikasa, then Eren.”

Eren laughed and threw down a $20. “I second that.”

Jean gritted his teeth and matched Eren’s bet. “There’s no way in hell you or Mikasa is gonna out do me.”

Eren found it highly amusing how it only took about five shots for Jean to tap out, just barely beating Armin by one. 

Mikasa giggled. “You always seem to forget how much of a lightweight you are.”

“Shut it.” Jean mumbled, his cheeks red. 

Not even thirty minutes had passed and all four of them had ended up sandwiched on the small couch with Jean on Eren’s right and Armin on his left followed by Mikasa. “Looks like we’re splitting the cash Ar,” Eren said with a grin, throwing his arm around his friend. 

Armin hummed, occupied with reading his favorite blogs on his laptop.

“Mik, let’s take another shot pleaseee.” Eren said, attempting to make his eyes wide while sticking out his bottom lip. It was his signature look for getting what he wanted, but being drunk made it slightly harder to achieve. 

Mikasa laughed and shook her head. “Fine. But just one more, ok?”

He leaned over Armin to kiss her on the cheek, and was about to pour a larger-than-necessary shot for himself when the blond gasped. 

“What the fuck Eren, is that you??”

Confused and slightly thrown off by Armin cursing, Eren quickly turned to look at the laptop, nearly dropping the bottle in the process. He was surprised to see the picture of him and Levi at the cafe on a celebrity gossip website. 

“‘Levi Ackerman seen with mysterious pretty boy Wednesday afternoon. Do we wanna know?’” Eren read, involuntarily cringing at the cheesy title. "Jesus Ar, why are you even on this shitty website?" 

Armin blushed. "W-we all have our guilty pleasures Eren." 

“How did this happen?” Mikasa asked, grabbing his arm. 

“I guess I forgot to tell you guys,” he said, rubbing the back of his neck. “Some weirdo took a picture of me and Levi when we were working on the songs. Levi said he was probably a paparazzo.” Eren turned his attention back to the shot of vodka, downing it quickly. 

Armin’s jaw dropped. “Eren, how can you just forget to tell us that!”

Jean rolled his eyes. “He’s a fucking airhead Armin, what do you expect.”

“Piss off Jean. Besides, what's the big deal? We’re just two straight guys enjoying a cup of coffee,” Eren said with a smirk, pouring himself yet another shot since everyone else seemed to be distracted.

Jean burst into laughter. “Yeah ok. If you're straight then Armin totally isn't a virgin.”

Armin stiffened, his cheeks turning bright red. He shot Jean a glare. “I’m actually not a virgin, thank you.”

Eren scoffed. “Yeah, you’ve kinda lost on that one. He really isn't.”

Jean rolled his eyes and folded his arms. “I need proof, or I won’t believe it.”

“Mate, don't you remember Connie’s party at the end of last year?” Eren said, his speech slurring slightly. Connie had thrown a massive banger at the end of their 11th year, and practically everyone had gone. 

“The only thing I remember from that night, is that I should stay away from tequila,” Jean muttered. Eren snorted. He remember Jean had been the most fucked out of everyone, and he was the one tasked with carrying him home. 

“To cut a long story short, he went upstairs with Christa a virgin but came down a man,” Eren teased, pinching Armin's cheek.

Jean's eyes widened. “Shit, I actually do remember Ymir mentioning something like that. She was pissed.”

Mikasa frowned. “Wait I thought Christa was a lesbian?”

“Can we not talk about this right now,” Armin interrupted loudly, his face flushed all the way down to his neck.

“Aw come on, there’s nothing to be embarrassed about Ar,” Eren said, “And if it makes you feel better, me, Annie and Bertholdt had a threesome that night.”

Jean laughed loudly. “Isn't he the guy she ended up leaving you for?”

Under normal circumstances, Eren wouldn’t have even brought up Annie, and he definitely would have fought Jean for making that comment. But whenever he was drunk, it became a lot easier to talk about her. 

“Yeah,” he admitted, “to this day I’m convinced it was because she saw how much bigger his dick was.”

“Guys can we focus please,” Armin said, trying to suppress his giggle.

“Right, right sorry. The picture of me and Levi.”

“Eren, this article puts you in the public eye already, and we haven't even released our debut yet.” Armin said sternly.

“...Is that a bad thing?” he asked. 

“No, Not necessarily.”

Eren frowned. “Then what’s the issue?”

Armin sighed. “It just means that you have to be careful, especially if you’re going to be spending more time with Levi,” he said. “A relationship between a 28 year old man and an 18 year old boy won't sit well with a lot of people.”

“You don't have to worry about that, I’m not interested in a relationship.” Although Eren was attracted to Levi and he wanted to sleep with the man, he hadn't really considered taking it farther than that. Even he knew that would create way too many complications than it was worth, at least for now.

“That may be the case,” Armin began, “but articles like this will always twist the truth. A rumor can be deadly even if it’s false.”

Eren frowned. “Then what should I do? Not meet with him anymore?”

He shook his head. “No, just be careful with your interactions in public.”

Eren leaned his head against the back of the couch. He wasn't exactly sure what Armin wanted him to do. It’s not like he was going to make out with Levi in front of everyone. Just meeting to get lunch or whatever shouldn’t be that bad, right? Maybe it would be safer if he asked Levi to meet at his house from now on, but Eren didn't want to intrude. _I guess I have to talk to him about this as soon as possible…_ He shook his head and sat up. It wasn't the moment to stress about Levi. He was spending time with his friends, so they should be his focus. Eren looked at all of them and smiled. Regardless of what shit he goes through, he always finds comfort in the fact that he knows he will always have them. No matter what. So for now, everything else could wait. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had no idea that an individual paparazzi is called a paparazzo until I looked it up for this story haha. Also fun fact: turn up Thursdays was an actual thing me and my friends used to do because we're trash. Anyways, leave a comment letting me know what you think! Thanks for reading ~


End file.
